Car-coupling



(No Model.)

J. W. THOMASON.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Nov. '15, 1881.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

UNrra STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

JOHN IV. THOMASON, OF SALADO, TEXAS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,695, dated November 15,1881.

Application filed March 28, 1881. (No model) i To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN W. THoMAsoN, of Salado, Bell county, Texas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view. Fig. atis asection on the line A A of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view, showing the means ofattaching my coupling to alocomotive.

Myinvention relates to improvements in carcouplings; and it consists, first, of certain devices wherebythe coupling-pin raised in the draw-head is supported until the draw-heads strike each other in coupling, when the coupling-pin falls by gravity.

My invention further consists of devices whereby a link or pin may be raised separately or both raised simultaneously, as the case may require, in coupling cars.

My invention also consistsin certain details of construction hereinafter more fully described.

My invention furtherconsists in the peculiar construction of a link attached to the cowcatcher of a locomotive, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, a is the platform of a car, to the under side of which the draw-head I) is attached in the usual manner. The draw-head bis provided with recesses con each side, each having holes in its end bars, (I, for the passage of rods 0, secured to the faceplatef, provided with a central opening fitting over the mouth of the draw-head.

To the inner ends of the rods 0 is secured a connecting-rod, 9, one end of which engages with a hook on a lever, h, pivoted on the under face of the platform, whereby the faceplate can be moved inwardly against the tension of the spiral springs i, arranged in the recesses c and surrounding the rods 0. A lever, h, is employed on each side of the draw-head to draw back the face-plate j", held out by the tension of the spiral springs 1'. The face-plate f is provided with an inwardlyprojecting plate, 7;, fitting in a recess in the upper part of the mouth of the draw-head, said plate k being adapted to slide in said recess as the face-plate f is moved back and forth. A hole is formed in the upper end of the draw-head for the passage of the couplingpin, and through the plate 7c. These holes register with each other when the face-plate f is drawn back by the levers h, allowing the pin to fall down through the link; but when the levers h are not operated and the face-plate is held out by the tension of the springs ithese holes do not register with each other, and the coupling-pin is supported in an upright position by the plate k. By drawing back the levers h the holes are made to register and the couplingpin falls into position in the link by gravity.

Z is a rack-bar adapted to slide vertically in an opening in the platform and draw-head.

m is a horizontal shaft journaled in the drawhead, and carrying a pinion, n, gearing into the rack-bar and operated by a crank on the end of the shaft or for freight-cars to raise and lower the rack-bar. For passenger-cars a vertical shaft projecting upward through the platform, connected by suitable gearing with the shaft m, is employed to operate said shaft and raise or lower the rack-bar. The rack-bar is held in any desired position by means of a pawl, 0, on a rock-shaft, p, journ aled in the back part of the draw-head, said pawl engaging with the pinion a when the rock-shaft is turned in one direction and disengaged therefrom when the rock-shaft is turned in the opposite direction. The upper end-of the rack-bar Z is cut away and provided with a recess, q, forthe reception of the projection r of the sliding plate 8. The recess q is made longer than the projection r, so that the latter may be moved vertically therein, and the projectionris provided with a screwthreaded hole, t, for the reception of the screw 10, passing also through a screw-threaded hole in the top of the rack-bar, whereby the sliding plate 8 can be adjusted vertically on the link held between the lower edge of the sliding plate, and in a recess, o, for the link made in the rack-bar. By this construction links of varying thickness may be employed in coupling cars and held horizontally in the rack-bar,. which latter, by means of the pinion, may be adjusted for cars of different heights.

The upper horizontal face of the rack-bar l is recessed for the reception of asliding plate,

IOO

w, provided with a slot, w, for the passage of the screw u, that adjusts the sliding plate 8 vertically; and the plate to is provided at its front end with a recess and projecting arms yfor engaging under the head of the coupling-pin z. The upper face of the sliding plate 10 is also provided with an upwardly-projeetin g cam, a, which is made to engage with a cam-plate, b, journaled on the screw u. The outer end of the cam-plate b is provided with a handle, by which it maybe rocked, thus moving out or in the sliding plate to. A spring may be employed, if desired, to throw the sliding plate to forward after it has been retracted, to release the head of the coupling-pin. The head of the coupling-pin is preferably cone-shaped. Each of the cars is provided at each end with coupling devices, as above described.

In practice, to couple two cars thelink is held in one of the cars horizontally in the recess in the rack-bar, and thelatter, with thelink, can be raised .or lowered to suit the height of the car to be coupled and heldin position by the pawl. In the opposite car to be coupled the couplingpin is raised and supported in its raised position by the flange of the face-plate, and the link enters the draw-head of the car to be coupled, and the face-plates coming in contact with each other, the holes in the flange and draw-head register and the coupling-pin falls by gravity through the link. By operating the draw-head levers, in case the face-plates should fail to strike, the coupling-pin would fall by gravity through the link.

To uucouple two cars, the sliding plate is made to engage with the head of the couplingpin and the rack-bar is operated, raising the coupling-pin, which is held raised by the pawl. In coupling, the end of the link in the recess in the rack remains therein until pulled out by the forward movement of the cars, when it is caught by the coupling-pin.

It will be seen that in my invention the cars are coupled and uncoupled from the sides of the cars or platforms, and there is no liability of the operator being caught between the cars in coupling or uncoupling them.

In Fig. 5 is shown a link pivoted to the cowcatcher of an engine and operating upon the same principle as the coupling hereinbefore described.- This link, hinged to the front of the cow-catcher, consists of a bar, 0, provided at its forward end with a cross-bar, d, and a link, 0, secured to the front thereof.

In coupling the engine to a car provided with a draw-head constructed as in my invention, the bar 0 is raised or lowered by means of the rock-shaft h, carrying the crank pivoted to the bar 0 by the link 1, until the link 6 enters the draw-head of the car to be coupled, the coupling-pin being raised, and when the cross-bar d strikes the face-plate f the coupling-pin falls by gravity and the car is coupled to the engine.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is-- 1. The combination, with the draw-head I), provided with a recess and hole for the coupling-pin in its upper end, of the face-plate provided with an inwardly-projecting plate, 7:, having a hole for the passage of the couplingpin, springs t, levers h, and coupling-pin 2, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the draw-head b, of the rack-bar l, shaft m, carrying the pinion a, and rockshaft p, carrying the pawl 0, sub stantially as described.

3. The combination, with the rack-bar I, h aving a recess, (1, of the sliding plate 8, provided with the projection 1', having a screw-hole and screw, it, whereby the link may be held horizontally and raised or lowered, as desired, substantially as described.

at. The combination, with the rack-bar I, of the sliding plate 10, having slot or, arms y, and cam a, and the cam-plate l), substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with the rack-bar 1, ot' the sliding plate 8, having projection 'r, screw to, sliding plate 10, having slot ac, arms y, and cam a, and cam-plate b, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with the draw-head b and coupling-pin z, of the sliding plate w,having slot :0, arms y, and cam a, of the cam-plate I), provided with a'handle, and screw a, substantially as described.

7. The combination,with the link composed of the bar 0, cross-bar d, and link 0, hinged to the cow-catcher, of the draw-head b, havingface-plate f, and coupling-pin a, substantially as described.

8. The bar 0, hinged to the cow-catcher and provided with the cross-bar d and link 6, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the hinged bar 0, having the cross-bar d, and link 0, of the rockshaft h, having the crank k, and pivoted link I, substantially as described.

JOHN w. TI-IOMASON.

\Vitnesses OHAs. A. Pn'r'rrr, SoLoN (J. KEMON. 

